Because of the late delivery, TDOT recommends to plant the seeds next spring. Specialized instructions will come with all late orders for over-wintering seeds as cold stratification/cold dormancy is required for higher germination rate.
Pollinators are a diverse group of species that includes birds, bees, butterflies, bats and beetles. They are critically important to life and their numbers are in steady decline as a result of habitat loss, pests, pathogens, pesticides and other stressors. TDOT
Milkweed is a flowering plant that serves a critical role as a host plant in the lifecycle of monarch butterflies. Host plants are necessary for the survival and growth of other organisms. Milkweed provides a place for monarchs to lay their eggs and serves as food for their larvae and caterpillars. The natural toxins within the milkweed leave build-up in the body of the caterpillar and give the adult butterfly a bitter taste for protection against predators. Both the monarch butterfly population and milkweed habitats have experienced a 90 percent decline since 1992, and efforts like Project Milkweed are critical to restoring these pollinators and host plants.
Project Milkweed is a subset of TDOT’s Pollinator Habitat Program, a partnership between multiple state agencies and nonprofits that aims to conserve native pollinators and pollinator habitats. Pollinators are more diverse than just bees and butterflies and can include birds, bats, beetles, moths, wasps and more. They are not only important for the growth of native wildflowers but also for contributing an estimated $24 billion to the economy by pollinating food crops. Pollinators around the world are experiencing large population declines because of habitat loss, disease, pesticide use and changing climate.
Monika G. Pretz, PhD, a staff biologist and Pollinator Program Leader at Tennessee Environmental Council, said now is a perfect time to plant native wildflowers.
“The entire ecosystem is based on the support of these plants. Pollinators are picky eaters and insects are host plat specialist and need native plants to complete their life cycle, but only monarch butterflies and queen butterflies need milkweed.”